


Mr. Hart

by secooper87



Series: The Child of Balime [28]
Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Torchwood
Genre: Action/Adventure, F/M, Flirting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-28
Updated: 2013-12-08
Packaged: 2018-01-02 20:44:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 14,521
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1061425
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/secooper87/pseuds/secooper87
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There was a reason John Hart expected Torchwood to have a blond...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

A flash of light, and out stepped a heavily armed man with a smug smile, an air of superiority, and a vortex manipulator. The portal closed up behind him, and he surveyed his surroundings.

English medieval style peasantry.

And, in the distance, a very flashy-looking Medieval Style manor house.

The man took out two anachronistic guns, flipping them around his index fingers, as he proceeded towards the manor house. What the Agency didn't know wouldn't hurt them.

Time to take on a little side job.

* * *

"There!" said Seo, putting the last finishing touch on Dawn's hair, then stepping back and admiring her handiwork.

Dawn sat in the chair, in a beautiful, elegant medieval style, upper-class fancy gown, her hair all done up in braids and curls. Flashy necklaces draped across her neck. She turned to the mirror behind the vanity, and examined herself, carefully.

"Wow," said Dawn. She touched the braids along the top of her head. "I look like I should sit for a portrait, or something."

Seo clapped her hands in eager excitement. "We'll fit right in!"

Dawn turned back to Seo. She had attired herself in a much plainer outfit, a waiting maid's outfit, her own hair braided in a more simple waterfall braid — courtesy of Dawn. She had none of the splendor, none of the jewels and gems and charms, but… looking like this, with her face flushed with excitement, her eyes dancing with the promise of adventure, and her smile emphasizing the dimples in her cheeks… Dawn thought Seo looked pretty portrait-worthy, herself.

"We'll probably have better teeth," Dawn said, with a shrug. But the excitement was infectious.

A real medieval-style shopping spree!

The idea of which was basically inspired by their saving a number of medieval historians, recently, and acquiring these dresses. But it did mean that — for once — they had the correct historical knowledge, the correct clothing, the correct hairstyles, and the correct shoes.

This was, like, mega-psyche spectacular!

"But why am I a noblewoman, while you're all lower-class?" Dawn asked. She cringed, then whispered, "This isn't some over-compensation because I blew up at you about being the powerful one, right? Because I totally didn't mean it."

"No!" Seo retorted, a little too defensively for Dawn to believe it. She grinned. "But Mom said you're supposed to be the one taking care of me! Which makes you the noblewoman, and makes me the person you boss around!" Seo beamed, a bounce in her step, blond hair flying behind her, as she rushed towards Oliver's doors. "Now come on! The middle ages await!"

* * *

To their credit, they had stayed out of trouble.

For nearly thirty whole minutes!

"I'm pretty sure this is some kind of record for us," Dawn whispered to Seo, as they made their way through the bazaar. "No crazy alien stuff. No demons or vampires. And… not even a single gun!"

"I know," muttered Seo, kicking a stone across the ground, irritated. "It's rubbish."

Dawn stifled a laugh.

Seo glanced up, her eye catching something. Then leaned in and whispered, "Did you nick anything?"

"No," said Dawn, pointedly. She put on her best reprimanding-aunt face. "Did you?"

Seo's eyes just remained fixed in the distance. Staring at a peasant boy, strolling around, nearby. "So… if we haven't nicked anything, ourselves… does that mean, if we see someone else nicking things… we can chase them?"

Dawn's eyes also fixed on the peasant boy. As he walked around, looking like he owned the place. Then, at a shout from behind him, he muttered an obscenity under his breath, and raced off, cradling the sack of gold coins in his hands.

Dawn and Seo looked at one another.

Grinned.

Then raced after the peasant boy.

"Please be a demon," Dawn prayed, beneath her breath. "Please, please, please be a demon."

"Or at least an alien," Seo added. "I'm not picky."

He scurried down back-alleys, ducked between people, tried his best to lose them, but Dawn and Seo were good at this kind of thing. As two of the most notorious shoplifters and pickpockets in the Summers family, they knew all the tricks.

Seo caught up with him, first. Yanked him back, hands hooked around his arms, as he struggled.

"But… but… you're just girls!" the boy protested.

"Uh, yeah, thanks Mr. Male Chauvinist," said Dawn.

The boy tried to elbow Seo in the stomach and run off, but Seo flipped him around so he was facing her, her hands in a punishing grip around his elbows. "Stronger than I look."

The boy looked utterly lost. Opened and closed his mouth a few times, but no words came out.

"Oh, and I'll take that," said Dawn, swooping in and prying the sack of gold out of the boy's hands. She looked back at Seo. "Demon?"

Seo shook her head. "Human," she said.

"Damn." Dawn shrugged. "Okay, whatever. Let him go."

Seo did as she was told, and the boy, looking between the two, not really sure what to say or do in response to this, turned and fled.

"I am impressed," came a low, deep voice from behind them.

Dawn and Seo spun around, to find themselves face to face with a bunch of armed guys waving swords, and, following close behind, an old man with a gray beard, a black cape and elegantly tailored robes.

"To find a Lady engaged in such brave actions is no easy feat," the man said. He bowed to her. "Forgive me. I haven't introduced myself. I am Peter Bristol, assigned to take care of the Earl of Surrey's estates, when his Lordship is away. And, of course, to take care of his children."

Seo took the gold bag from Dawn, as Dawn gave a small curtsey, and Seo presented the bag to Mr. Bristol.

"The Lady Dawn," Dawn introduced. She hesitated. "Of… Somersetshire."

"The Lady of Somersetshire?" asked a young lady's voice, from not far away. With a light step, a handsomely dressed 14-year-old girlstepped into view, her face long, her skin pale yet blemish-free, her deep brown hair done up in two separate buns along the sides of her head, her eyes an almost black color, the train of her gown held by a servant, who respectfully looked away from Dawn. The gown, jewels, and make of the gown, itself, all spoke of her rank and position. "I once met someone answering to that name, once. But I was only a child, at the time, so I don't really remember much of anything. My parents' acquaintance, I believe."

One of the lady's servants took the gold sack from Seo, then retreated, with a humble bow towards Dawn.

"Lady Jane Howard, daughter to the Earl of Surrey," Janeintroduced herself.

And that was when Dawn realized… she knew who this girl looked like. Not exactly like. But enough so that… it was obvious they were related.

"Any relation to Anne Boleyn?" asked Dawn.

Jane looked at her, confused. "I'm sorry? Anne whom?"

Damn. Right. This was still Henry VII times — judging by coins and stuff. No Anne Boleyn, not yet. This was like… a mom, or a relative or something.

"Sorry, nothing," said Dawn. "Never mind." She gave a curtsey. "Pleased to meet you."

Jane stared at Dawn, a moment, not really sure what to make of her. Then she burst out laughing.

And it was only natural, at that point, that Dawn and Seo were invited to her home.

* * *

"Do you… feel that?" Seo whispered, as they arrived at the extravagant manor house where Jane lived. She helped escort Dawn to the house, but her eyes remained fixed on Jane. "There's something off about her. The… feeling in the air around her. Bitstatic." She shuddered, slightly. "Makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up."

Dawn raised her eyebrows.

She hadn't gotten any of that.

"I'm pretty sure she's famous, if it helps," Dawn muttered, back. "Like, an ancestor of Queen Elizabeth's."

Seo processed this. Her eyes still fixed on Jane.

"I asked if we could stay for a few days," Dawn put in. "You know. Because of the famous thing. Made up some story about us getting robbed and stuff." Dawn shrugged. "She said sure."

"Good," Seo muttered.

Jane, up ahead, was speaking with one of the servants, who was delivering a piece of news in a very serious manner. Jane gave a small grin, then turned to Dawn, and raced backwards.

"Lady Dawn, you seem a good judge of character," said Jane. Her eyes twinkled. "Would you care to meet my suitor?"

"Your… suitor," Dawn repeated.

"He's terribly attractive," Jane enthused, a far-off, dreamy look in her eye. "And charming. A bit gallant with a noble brow, who hasmuch landed estate, but…" The reverie wore off, as she leaned incloser to Dawn, and whispered, "despite all that, I don't think he's all he appears."

Dawn just shrugged.

She didn't know what she could do, but she guessed she might as well try.

"Perhaps it'll be best if you meet him," said Jane. Grabbing Dawn up by the hand, and leading her off into the manner house. "You and your handmaiden. Perhaps the both of you will be able to put my senses to right."

And this close, with Jane actually touching her, Dawn could feel it, too. Something… different about Jane. Like a kind of static, tingly… weirdness. Surrounding her.

"It's quite strange, really," said Jane, as she continued to race off. "Lord John appeared as if out of nowhere, a short time ago,claiming he knew my father. But I keep asking myself… can I really trust him?"

"Lord John?" Dawn asked Jane.

The only Lord John Dawn could think of was that animated lion in the Robin Hood cartoon she'd watched as a kid. Or… wait… maybe that was… King John?

"Yes," said Jane. "Lord Jonathan Meyers, of Cumberland."

Dawn stumbled over her feet, almost falling flat on her face. Her eyes wide.

"Wait, what?!" she cried.

Jane glanced back at Dawn, helping steady her. "You've heard of him, then?"

"Yes! I mean, no! I mean, I couldn't have," Dawn dismissed, as they entered the front hall of the manor house. "It's just… a weird coincidence. No one here would even would even know about that. I mean, there's absolutely no… way…"

Dawn froze, in the entryway.

Her jaw dropping.

Seo stopped, just behind her. Equally surprised.

"Well, well, well," said the man — who must be Jane's suitor —lingering in the front hall. "If it isn't the lovely Lady Jane herself. With… two…" The man paused. His eyes falling on Dawn and Seo. Clearly just as shocked as they were.

"Oh, my God," Dawn breathed.

Because Jane's suitor… looked almost exactly like Spike.


	2. Chapter 2

Jane and the man had gone off down the hall to chat softly. Lord John clearly trying to flirt his way into her affections, and probably coming pretty close to succeeding.

But Lord John's eyes kept flicking back to Seo and Dawn, at the other end of the hall. As if trying to work them out. Analyze them.

Dawn leaned down towards Seo, her eyes never leaving Lord John.

"Okay, so he's… like… Spike's great-grand father, or something, right?" Dawn guessed.

Seo quirked an eyebrow. "More like great grandson," she said. Grinned, a little. "Good teeth. That means he's from the future. A time traveler, like us. What's his name mean?"

"Huh?" asked Dawn. Her head swimming.

"You reacted when you heard his name," said Seo. "What does it mean?"

Dawn grimaced. "You remember when I said I didn't know anything about history, except what I learned on HBO?"

Seo nodded.

"Jonathan Meyers," Dawn said, "is the name of the actor who played Henry Tudor in that HBO series the Tudors."

Seo and Dawn exchanged a look. Then both broke down into a fit of giggles.

Then Seo reached into the secret pocket Dawn had installed in her medieval dress-up clothes and grabbed up Dawn's cell phone.

"What are you…?" Dawn hissed

Seo held it up into the light, peering at the display. "Hmm… no reception," she mused. "Intriguing."

"Give me that!" Dawn grabbed the phone back from Seo andstuffed it into her pocket. Her voice lowering even more, as she noticed Lord John staring at them. "Obviously there's noreception!" she whispered to Seo. "This is centuries before satellites! What the hell are you doing…?"

"Verifying that he already knew we were time travelers," said Seo. Her eyebrows raised at John. "Which he did. Seems he's a bit clever."

Dawn stared at Seo. Then shook her head. "You're pulling something, huh?"

Seo tapped the side of her nose.

* * *

After they were shown to their rooms, Dawn slammed the door shut. Made sure there was no one listening, outside. Then turned on Seo.

"Okay," said Dawn. "What…?"

Seo shushed her. Then stepped in a little closer. Her voice so low, Dawn could just barely hear it. "It's obvious, isn't it? What's going on? With Jane and the energy? With the other time traveler?"

"Not to me," Dawn retorted.

"Jane's found something," said Seo. "An artifact or crashed space ship or… I don't know. Something. Judging by the energy signature, something very alien and very dangerous. This 'Lord John' knows about it. He's come back in time to steal it from her."

"And that's bad?" asked Dawn. "What if he's a policeman, or…?"

"You notice that he never licks his own lips?" asked Seo. "Sort of… puckers 'em out a bit, when he speaks? Little like you did, during our make-up shopping spree during the 67th century?"

Dawn rolled her eyes. "Okay, seriously. How was I supposed to know it was barf-flavored lip gloss? I mean, who would evenmake—?"

"My point is," Seo interrupted, "there's something on his lips he doesn't want to ingest, himself. And he's trying to get Jane to kiss him."

Dawn's eyes went wide. As she realized… where Seo was going with this.

"So… he's a baddy, then," Dawn confirmed. "Which means… whatever Jane's got… it's up to us to steal it before he gets his hands on it. Right?"

Seo thought the matter over. Very carefully. Then shook her head.

"No," she decided. "Lord John clearly knows what this is, where it came from, and what it does. We don't. We'll need all the information we can get. And if we want that, we'll have to work with Jane." She shrugged. "Better tell her the truth."

Dawn stared. "You're kidding."

Seo quirked an eyebrow.

"You're not kidding," Dawn muttered. She gave a long, frustrated sigh. Then threw up her hands into the air. "How?" she asked. "She's from the middle ages, Seo. These guys don't even know that the Earth revolves around the sun, yet."

"Actually—" Seo began.

"If I start being all with the time travel xenotech stuff," said Dawn, "she'll laugh in my face. So how do I do it?"

Seo shrugged. "No idea. That's your job."

"Oh, yeah?" said Dawn. "And what's your job?"

Seo grinned. "There are two people who have information on this thing," she said. Turned on her heel, heading towards the door. "I get to deal with the other one."

* * *

Dawn had decided to approach this slowly.

First thing to do was get info from the rest of Jane's family. Find out where Jane had been hanging out, when she'd found this thing, and whether or not it was making her act out of the ordinary.

"Acting oddly? It's hard to say," replied Peter Bristol, when Dawn asked. He paused, reflecting. "Jane's been away since she was fiveyears of age. She only returned to us a month ago."

This seemed to be the general consensus from the rest of the family, as well.

"She's always been the most beloved of the family," one of Jane's brothers told Dawn. "The day she was sent off to school, my father cried at just the thought of her leaving us. Never did that with me or the others."

But other than that, no one else around the family could really tell Dawn anything.

So. Time to get close to Jane. Build up trust.

Dawn stayed near Jane, all day. Told Jane she was bored, andwould be super happy to help out with all those… noblewoman… things Jane was going to do. You know. Dawn could just… tag along!

"You wish to 'tag along'?" Jane repeated. She gave a small smile. "Your vocabulary is extremely odd, Lady Dawn."

"Just call me Dawn," said Dawn, as Jane handed her some embroidery.

Which led to about an hour of Dawn trying desperately not to stab herself with the embroidery needle — and to try to hide the complete mess she was making of this totally beautiful medieval cloth thing — as she and Jane gossiped about the affairs of noble-people Dawn had never heard about and didn't even know existed.

Jane seemed very amused by Dawn's complete inability to embroider.

Was further amused, when they entered the chapel to say theirnoontime prayers, that Dawn had no idea when to stand and when to kneel, or even how to pronounce the Latin!

Jane actually laughed, outright, when they went off to practice their dancing, and Dawn kept falling flat on her face.

"You make for a very odd Lady," Jane observed. "You can't embroider. Can't dance. Know nothing of prayers or worship. Your clothing uses clasps the like of which I've never seen, before. Your accent is completely unfamiliar. And you know nothing ofthe affairs and politics of Somersetshire." She scrutinized Dawn, more carefully. "Are you really a noblewoman, Dawn?"

Dawn sighed, her shoulders slumping. "Okay. Busted."

"So what are you?" asked Jane. "Who are you?"

This was going to be a fun explanation.

"My name's Dawn Summers," Dawn said. "And I'm kind of… a traveler. I mean, Seo's the real traveler. I'm just… kind of…looking after her. Supervising. You know."

Jane's eyes widened, a smile on her face. "Ah! You're related! An… aunt, perhaps?"

"How did you know that?"

Jane ignored the question. Instead, musing over this all, her face bending into a deep frown. "But if you're her aunt, and the two of you should be equal, then why is she dressed as a peasant, while youare attired as a noblewoman?"

Dawn hesitated.

"Are you seeking to subjugate her?" asked Jane. "Bend her to your own will? Do you really care for her as family, or are you merely taking advantage?"

"What?" Dawn cried. "No! No, I… I love her. A lot." She grimaced. "I'm just bad at saying it, sometimes."

Jane tilted her head, interested.

"I… said some stuff… a while ago," Dawn admitted. "Hurtful stuff. I wasn't even thinking. I just… have some unresolved insecurities, I guess, and took them out on her." God, she felt terrible about that. "I got jealous. Because she's powerful and I'm pretty normal. And Seo… she's just so sweet… so determined to make people happy…"

"That she disguised you both in such a way that you could feel power, while she could assume the guise of subservience," Jane said.

Dawn nodded.

The more she thought about it, the more she felt just plain disgusted with herself.

A cloud passed across Jane's face. "I know what it is to be subjugated," she admitted, in a very low voice. "Placed fully under another's power. It's… like death. Except you don't know it's happening."

Dawn didn't know what to say to this.

Was this some medieval thing? A courtship thing? Was she scared Lord John would be abusive or something? Or was this some clue as to what had happened to Jane, to make her feel all staticky and weird? Was this something about the alien artifact?

"When did you know this 'subjugation' stuff?" Dawn asked. In an even lower voice, "Did you find something, Jane? Did you find monsters? A flying metal ship?"

Jane didn't answer Dawn. "So your niece is powerful. But what does that mean, exactly?" Her eyes glowed. "Is she betrothed to marry a prince or a king? Or is she hoping to win the affections of the young Henry, and become his consort, catching his ear and directing politics from the bedchamber?"

"Woah!" Dawn said. "No! No, Seo is not marrying… or sleeping with…! I mean, ew! Do people really do that?!"

What she thinking? Of course they did. That was totally what HBO claimed happened to the Boleyn sisters.

The smile fell from Jane's lips. "But if that's not the power you were speaking of… then what sort of power does your niece wield?"

Okay. Time to start breaching the parts of this that Jane wouldn't believe.

"Seo isn't human," Dawn admitted. "Her father's a superhero alienfrom outer space. And her mom's… okay, her mom's technicallyhuman, but she's got serious superpowers. Which makes Seo a mix of two superheroes who save the universe and the world pretty regularly. Plus, she got a little hell goddess thrown in."

Jane stared at Dawn. Completely floored. Unsure what to say.

"Look, Jane, I'm going to be totally honest with you," Dawn said, in a low voice, glancing around to make sure no one else was near. "Seo and I aren't nobles. We're monster-fighters. From the future. We go around time and space, saving people and places from serious evil."

"I don't understand," said Jane. "You're from… the future?" She shook her head. "But that isn't possible. Yesterday comes, and then it is gone. You can't… simply… step back into it, again."

"We can," said Dawn. "With very advanced technology. And that Jonathan Meyers guy? He can do it, too. He's also from the future."

Jane stumbled backwards. Unable to take this in.

"But… but… why?" Jane asked. "Why are so many people from the future interested in me?"

Dawn sighed. "Because Seo and I think you've found something from another world. Either an artifact, or a crashed space ship, or a piece of alien tech. I dunno. But whatever it is, it's making you feel really staticky. At close range, even I can feel it. Which means it's probably something super powerful and super dangerous."

Jane backed away, even more. Suddenly defensive. "That'snonsense. You… you… you're speaking nonsense!"

"No, I'm… look, Jane, there's tons of worlds beyond this one," said Dawn. She gestured out the window, at the sky. "All those stars and stuff — they're suns for planets just like this one, except a really long way away with people who look and act all differenty. And those guys sometimes bring stuff to Earth that's really dangerous, which is why…"

"Blasphemy!" insisted Jane. She seemed far too twitchy about it, though, far too nervous and jumpy, like she was trying to hide something. Yeah. Jane had definitely seen something alien. Knew Dawn was right. And was trying to cover it up. "You're lying! Telling falsehoods! The heavenly spheres are bodies that dictate the will of the Lord. They aren't… worlds! They are merely omens that dictate our fates and foretell our own destinies!" Her eyes lingered towards the window. "And they foretold mine long ago."

Now that was a bad sign.

"You don't have to do what the aliens say, Jane," Dawn said, calmly. Trying to put on her best trust-me, I'm-competent look. "Just tell me what you found. Trust Seo and I. We can help."

"I found nothing!" Jane hissed. "I am running from nothing! No one! My destiny is mine alone, and I choose it willingly." Her eyes narrowing. "Now leave me, Dawn Summers. And speak of this to no one, or you will be turned out of this house at once!"

Then she turned, and fled.


	3. Chapter 3

Seo had thought she'd need to carefully lead 'Lord John' away from Jane, just to give Dawn time to talk to her. But, as it turned out, 'Lord John' had lost interest in Jane — for the moment.

He was focused on Seo.

He'd been tailing her all day, just as she had been carefully keeping an eye on him. The two of them stealing glances at one another, checking in after anyone said anything, just to see what they could deduce about the other.

"…it is a rather interesting affair, the politics of Scotland," said Richard Howard, one of Jane's elder brothers, who was speaking to Lord John in the afternoon. "I suppose you've got your own views."

"Many," Lord John muttered. His eyes fixed on Seo, hiding in the corner, watching them. He raised his voice. "Course, I'd love to hear what a commoner thinks about it."

Richard Howard frowned. "I'm sorry?"

But Lord John had already leapt to his feet, and grabbed Seo up out of her hiding spot. His eyes locked on hers. "A marriage between Mary Tudor and the king of Scotland," he announced. "I'm sure you, staying in the court of a noblewoman, will have heard all about that."

Seo shot him a small grin. She'd learned this one from Dawn. "Margaret Tudor, actually," she whispered. With a wink. "Think you'll find Mary Tudor's not been born, yet."

"Well — looks like someone's researched medieval history," mused Lord John. He reached round, thumbing the velcro holding up her skirts. "Although… missed a bit on the costumes."

Seo quirked an eyebrow at him. "Are you trying to undress me, Lord John?" she asked, a little louder. "In front of the Lady Jane's brother?"

Lord John swung around, seeming to realize his latest obsession might be costing him his ultimate goal. Richard Howard, looking on at them, seemed thoroughly mortified.

It had taken a _lot_ of charisma and sweet-talking for Lord John to get out of that one.

He'd been more discreet, after that. But Seo could tell he was still staring at her. His eyes fixed on her. Never letting her take two steps out of his sight.

After supper, when the others all went off to evening prayer, Seo slipped away, outside. Trying to think through what all this meant. What kind of alien thing Jane might have picked up, and why it caused the air around her to become so… unnervingly static.

"Skipping your evening prayers, then?" said John, approaching from the shadows. He shook his head, tsking, softly. "Naughty, naughty."

"Says the man who tried to put a hand down my dress in public," Seo pointed out. She tossed some hair behind her shoulders, scrutinizing him, carefully. "Was that a proposition? Or were you just checking me for weapons?"

"What's the point in sex without weapons?" said John, moving closer and wrapping his arms around her waist. "That'd take the fun right out of it."

Seo grabbed him up by the wrist, yanking back his sleeve to reveal the wrist-strap, on his arm. Her eyes widened, a little. "Oh. Didn't expect _that_ ," she admitted. She looked back up at him. "You know Captain Jack?"

"No Jacks where I'm from," said John. Twisted her arm around so he was the one gripping her wrist, leaning down so he was right in her face. "You can call me Captain if you want, though."

He bent down to kiss her, and she managed to use his grip on her to flip him through the air and throw him to the ground.

"Sorry," Seo said, clapping her hands. "Been to the future. Seen the psychedelic lip gloss. Not thick enough to fall for it."

John got up off the ground, laughing. "Looks like the lady has some fight in her," he said. Reached into his pockets, strolling towards her. "So. Question is… what are you and who are you working for?"

"I'm working for myself," said Seo.

"Freelance, huh?" said John. He stepped forwards. "So… why don't you show up on scans?"

Seo winked at him. Didn't answer. "What's your real name, 'Lord John'? I assume it's not actually 'John'."

"For someone pretty as you, can be anything you like," said John, proudly. He grabbed her up by the wrist, again, yanking her towards him, so he was staring down right into her face. "Tell you what. Why don't you call me… Lord Hart?" Raised his eyebrows. "That's 'Heart' singular, mind you. Not 'Hearts', plural, way you seem to have."

So. He figured that one out, did he?

"Sorry," said Seo, conspiratorially. "I'm an American. To me, you're just _Mr._ Hart." She tilted her head. "When are you from?"

"Long time from now," said Hart. "Course, carrying around a mobile phone like that, I'd date you and your companion to… early twenty-first century Earth? Round about. Although, despite claiming to be an 'American', you, yourself…"

"…aren't human," Seo agreed. "Possessing genetics not scannable. And technology far beyond 21st century Earth's capabilities. What's Jane hiding?"

John Hart laughed. "You mean you don't know?"

"That's why I'm asking."

* * *

Jane burst into her room, prying open her hiding spot in the floorboards, and taking out the item she'd discovered. Dug from the earth. There it was, just as she'd known it would be. This glowing little trinket. Calling to her, just as she'd known it would be.

"From another world," she breathed, twirling it between her fingers. "Oh, but what sort of world could have produced something like you, I wonder? Will I ever find out?"

She heard Dawn knocking on the door. Shouting at her that they needed to talk, and she didn't know what she was dealing with.

Jane glared at the door. Not daring to let her in.

She turned back to the trinket. Patting her hand along the outside, her face bent with concentration. "You must have something secret about you," she muttered. "A lock or catch. That's always the way it is with other worlds, isn't it?"

Dawn's voice cut through her concentration.

"Talk to me!" Dawn shouted. "Jane, whatever you think you have to do, the aliens are manipulating you! You've got to let me help."

But that was when Jane found it.

The little switch that opened up the secret compartment inside the glowing trinket.

* * *

John Hart edged closer to Seo. "Let's just say… it's something valuable," he said, his voice lowering into a seductive growl. "Rare. Dangerous."

"A weapon?" asked Seo.

John Hart wrapped an arm around Seo's shoulders, drawing her closer to him. "You don't know very much, do you?"

"No, but I'm a bit clever," Seo replied. "I think it's one of the things that makes me so adorably charming. How dangerous is dangerous?"

"Trying to steal it before me?" said John Hart. His voice dropping a little lower, grin spreading. "Or are you proposing an alliance? Find it together, sell it off, then split the take 50-50?"

"Is that why you're doing this?" said Seo. "For money?"

"Nothing in the universe more important than money."

Seo twisted herself out of his grip, then grabbed him by the shirt and thrust him against the wall. Staring right into his eyes. A suddenly serious look on her face.

"You know, Mr. Hart — I can't tell if you're thick," said Seo, "or just unbelievably selfish."

"Oooh, again with the violence!" said Hart. Winked at her. "Love a lady who knows what she wants."

But Seo was done with flirting. "I don't care about money, Mr. Hart," said Seo. "I care about _people_. And right now, Jane's got her hands on something dangerous and alien that she doesn't understand. So what I want to know is…" shaking him, "what's going to happen when Jane activates it?!"

* * *

Jane pressed her thumb against the hidden panel, to reveal the compartment behind. This bit even more beautiful than the rest. All flickering with flashing lights of different colors — lights like faeries dancing inside.

Jane looked up at the door, where Dawn was still pounding and shouting.

"Is it time?" Jane asked the trinket, cradling it in her hands. "Is it time, at last, to achieve my destiny?"

The light inside the trinket pulsed, but the only sound that issued through the room came from Dawn.

Jane tore her eyes from the door. Peering down at the flickering lights inside her trinket. As she reached out to press the middle one…

* * *

"She won't activate it," John Hart scoffed. "How could she?"

Seo sighed. "Listen. Jane knew there was something wrong with you, right from the start. Has been very defensive about guarding whatever she's found — clever enough about hiding it that not even you can find it. And since you haven't just killed her with your many concealed pistols, yet, I'm guessing she's got some sort of link to it. Something you need her for." Her eyes narrowed. "Trust me. If it wants her to activate it, she'll activate it."

Now John Hart was starting to look a little more serious.

"So tell me. What will happen?" shouted Seo.

* * *

The moment Jane pressed the button, the glow from the trinket cut out, entirely. Then…

A sudden white flash seared through the trinket, as it grew hot beneath her hand.

Jane shrieked, jumping to her feet. Waving her arms and legs, trying to shake the trinket off. But she couldn't. The item was stuck to her fingers. The smell of burning flesh flooding through the room, as Jane began to scream.

"Jane!" shouted Dawn, from the door. Hammering as if her life depended on it. "Jane, what's going on? What have you done? Jane! Let me in!"

Jane's heart raced, as she ran over and unlocked the door. Facing down the strange Dawn, with terrified eyes.

"I can't!" Jane said. Showing her the hand and the trinket fused with her skin. "It burns! It hurts so much! Please, oh, please, Dawn! Help me! Help…!"

That was when an energy beam burst through Jane's body, and she screamed, as the bolt tore through the ceiling and straight upwards into the sky…

* * *

Seo and John Hart looked up the moment it happened. The moment the energy bolt struck the clouds, and the sky began to change colors, rapidly.

"Something… a bit… like that," John Hart muttered.

Seo let him go. Staring up at the sky, trying to put the pieces together.

But she didn't have enough information.

"What is it?" Seo asked. "What's it doing?"

"Well," said John Hart, putting on a theatrical face and checking his watch, "I'd say she's just pressed the remote activator for a rather impressive piece of alien tech. One with the power and ability to destroy this entire planet."

"Then we need to find it," said Seo.

Hart lowered his wrist, looking at her, a bit smugly. "Yes," he said. "Guess that means, for now, dimple-cheeks, you and I have the same goal."


	4. Chapter 4

Dawn just kept holding Jane's limp body, searching desperately for some sign of life. But there was no pulse. No nothing. Jane was completely limp and unresponsive. Her skin still warm, still staticky, still glowing a faint blue with the energy from the device.

Footsteps.

Dawn looked up, to find Seo and Lord John racing over towards her. Seo stopped, a short ways away. Her face bent into a deep frown, as she noticed the blue glow around Jane's skin.

"Now… that wasn't what I was expecting," Seo muttered.

"I think she's dead," Dawn said. Her hands shook. "Seo, what's going on? What's this blue thingy Jane found and why did it kill her?"

"If you trust Mr. Hart, over there," said Seo, nodding over at Lord John as she bent down to examine Jane, "the alien gadget was the remote activator for a planet-destroying bomb." She checked for any sign of life, then leaned back, shaking her head. "And she's definitely dead. Must have been electrocuted."

Hart lingered nearby, staring down at the dead Jane, fascinated. Not seeming in the least bit affected by the death of the woman he'd been courting.

"But that doesn't make sense," Dawn said. "If it's some remote activator, why would it kill Jane? I mean, it's going to destroy the world, anyways!"

Seo opened her mouth to answer…

When Jane suddenly sat bolt upright. Her eyes popping open, wide, now glowing with a radiant blue energy.

Seo and Dawn started back, alarmed.

"Assimilation complete," Jane reported, her voice hollow. "Host acquired. Target lost."

Every single person in the room stared at her. Shocked.

Dawn glanced over at Hart, but he seemed just as surprised as the rest of them. "Assimilation," he mused. "Well, well. Now that's interesting."

Dawn wasn't sure she believed his innocent act.

But she had bigger things to worry about.

"Jane?" Dawn asked, tentatively. She put a hand on Jane's shoulder, shook her. "Jane, are you still in there? Can you hear me?"

"'Jane' is no longer my designation," Jane replied. She shook Dawn off and got up from the ground, power radiating through her, her feet seeming to almost drift across the floor. "I am the Voice. I must find the target."

Dawn and Seo both jumped to their feet. Dawn advancing on Jane, angrily.

"Yeah? Well, you better give Jane back right now, Voice thing," Dawn snapped, pointing an accusing finger. "Because if you don't—"

"Wouldn't bother, love," said Hart. The smile hadn't yet faded from his lips. "Jane's long dead. You said it, yourself."

Dawn paused. Then spun on Hart. "You know what's going on, huh?" Her face turned red with rage. "I bet you wanted this to happen! That you were manipulating her into…!"

Seo interposed herself between Dawn and Hart. Shooting Dawn a reprimanding look.

"None of this is going to be fixed with shouting or violence," Seo said, very softly. "We've all got the same goal, at the moment. And if we want any chance of getting through this alive, we'll be needing him."

"What?" Dawn cried. "But he's got scumbag written all over him! He killed Jane, just so he could—"

"You don't know that," Seo cut in.

Hart plastered an innocent look on his face. "Who, me? Kill someone? That's not my style at all." He raised his eyebrows. "I'm just trying to save the world. Same as you." He reflected. "And maybe make a buck or two on the side."

Dawn's eyes darkened, and she advanced on him, her hands bunched into fists. "Jane is dead, and all you care about is—?!"

Seo shoved them both, with a force that winded both. Her eyes blazing.

"It doesn't matter what his motives are," Seo told them. "There's something out there. A 'target' Jane's trying to get to. We have to work together and find it first, before anyone else does."

"Find it _first_?" Dawn asked.

Seo pointed at the possessed Jane. "That alien device Jane had shot through her and up past the upper atmosphere. I very much doubt it did that just for the fun of it. The device wasn't just killing and possessing her, Dawn. It was signaling someone. A group of aliens who think nothing of human life." Seo looked at both Dawn and Hart, determined. "So we have to find it, first. All of us. Together."

"And what makes you think we can trust him?" Dawn said, glaring at Hart.

"He's human," Seo replied. "If humanity's wiped out in the middle ages, he'll never have been born." She turned to Hart. "Isn't that right, Mr. Hart?"

Hart came forwards, his eyes twinkling. "You're a bit sneaky, aren't you?" he said, in a low voice. His grin growing. "Just how many tricks do you have up your sleeve?"

"Help us, and maybe you'll find out," said Seo, her own lips spreading into a small smile.

Dawn buried her face in her hands. "You like him. Oh, it all makes sense, now." She sighed. "You know, Seo, you've got the absolute worst taste in guys. Period."

* * *

It was about a day to get there. A whole day of listening to Seo and John Hart flirt incessantly. A whole day of trying to get Jane to tell them something useful.

They set off. Following Jane — or rather, the Voice, using Jane's body. She seemed to know exactly where they were headed. Glowed even more brightly as she got closer, the blue aura intensifying with every step.

Seo knew that Dawn was right, of course, about John Hart.

Knew that Mr. Hart wasn't trustworthy, reliable, dependable, and that he placed very little value on human life.

But he was a bit cute.

And he had this thing he did where he sort of sidled up to her as he was talking, and would wind up touching her before she'd quite understood what was happening. Arm around her waist, staring deep into her eyes.

"You still trying to work out why I don't show up on scans?" Seo asked him.

He leaned down, and whispered, "There are more fun ways to map your interior."

Seo quirked an eyebrow. "Is that how you identify every species?" she asked. "By sleeping with them?" She gave a small laugh. "Doesn't sound like it'd be all that accurate."

"That sounds like a challenge I can't refuse," said Hart. His hand inching down her thigh. "How about we take some time to test it out and see?"

She managed to duck out of his grasp and pop up a short ways away. Her cheeks a bit redder than she would have liked.

"Maybe later," Seo said.

Or maybe not at all. Looks aside, Dawn was right when she kept hissing at Seo that John Hart was seriously bad news. That Hart would stab them in the back first chance he got.

"Look, Hart and us are _not_ working to the same agenda, Seo!" Dawn insisted. "I don't know what Jane's trying to find. But when we get there, the two of us want to disable it and make it safe. Whereas Hart just wants to scoop it up and sell it to the highest bidder!"

Seo shrugged.

This was very true.

"We are both trying to find it, though," Seo told her aunt. "Along with a group of aliens—"

"That we've seen no sign of," Dawn pointed out.

"—which we'll probably face down at some point, soon. And will need his knowledge to defeat." She glanced over her shoulder, at Hart. A small smile igniting her face. "Besides. It's not a bad thing to keep an eye on him."

Dawn gritted her teeth. "I know why _you_ want to keep an eye on him."

Seo couldn't help herself from blushing, a little, at this.

"Don't you dare sleep with him, Seo," Dawn warned. "I don't care how hot he is. He's seriously bad news."

"I wasn't planning on it," Seo retorted. She put her hands on her hips. "I'm not that thick."

"Around hot guys, you can be," Dawn said. Shook her head. "Have you even thought up a plan, yet? For when we get to this alien artifact?"

"I'm… working on it," Seo admitted.

Actually, she wasn't working on it all that hard. Kept putting it off, so she could walk a little more with Hart. Just to keep an eye on him, of course — not that she had any attraction towards him at all!

Certainly not!

"You remind me of someone," Hart said to Seo, at one point, on the journey. "Old partner of mine."

Seo quirked an eyebrow. "Partner… in the sense of…?"

He winked at her. "Everything."

Dawn, in the meantime, mostly to ignore them, kept pushing Jane to get her to tell them something useful. Either about 'the Voice'. About what aliens she'd been signaling. Or what she was leading them to find.

"I am the Voice," Jane told Dawn. "I have been detached from the target, and spread into the populace so I can find a host."

"You mean kill someone and possess their body," Dawn snapped.

"That is the first part of the assimilation process," Jane confirmed.

"But why?" Dawn demanded. "What for? What's the point?"

"It is my function," Jane replied. "First, I must find a host. Then, I must reacquire the target."

"And what is the target?" Dawn said.

"The target will know when I find it," Jane said.

Dawn hissed, looking seriously frustrated.

"You were also signaling some alien people, when you possessed Jane," Dawn said.

"Yes."

"Who?" said Dawn. "The people that made you? What do they want with you? What are they going to do?"

"The target will know when I find it," Jane repeated.

Dawn clenched her fists. "You're just _trying_ to piss me off, huh?"

"The target will know when I find it," Jane insisted.

It took them a day before they did find it. But eventually, as the sun was setting, they discovered the remains of the gigantic alien device, buried part-way in the ground. Last sparks of daylight glinting off its metallic casing.

And, surrounding it, were a very large group of small gray-skinned aliens.

All armed to the teeth.


	5. Chapter 5

"Okay, Hart, what is this thing?" Dawn demanded, when they were far enough away to regroup. "What do they want with it? And why haven't they used it, yet?"

"Told you," said Hart, with a shrug. "Rare. Dangerous. Power to destroy the world."

Seo, meantime, was struggling to stop Jane from continuing onwards towards the alien artifact. "Clearly," she grunted, jerking Jane away hard enough to throw her to the ground, "they haven't used it yet because they can't. Whatever 'the Voice' is, they need it to make the machine work."

Jane leapt back up to her feet, and tried to race forwards, again.

But John Hart took out a gun and clobbered her across the head. So she fell to the ground, unconscious.

"Hey!" snapped Dawn.

"She's not Jane, anymore, anyways," said Hart. "Don't get your knickers in a twist, doll-face." He twirled the gun in his hands. "Well. I got two guns, a sword, a laser knife, and some high grade explosives. What are you two packing?"

Dawn and Seo exchanged a look.

"Nothing," Seo said, her voice a little icier than usual. She extended her hands, to show they were empty.

Hart looked them over. Jaw dropping open. "What? _Nothing_?!"

"We used to have a sonic lockpick," Dawn offered. "But it got destroyed a few monsters ago."

Seo just grabbed the gun from his hand, her voice turning low and threatening. "I don't kill people," she hissed at him. "So I don't use weapons." She disarmed the gun, and tossed it to Dawn. Then held out her hand, expectantly. "And you're not going to, either."

For nearly a minute, no one spoke. Seo just staring down Hart, challenge written about her every feature. And Hart clearly trying to make up his mind about what to do, next.

Probably, Dawn assumed, figuring out how to kill them and dispose of the bodies without the aliens overhearing, costing him the element of surprise.

Then, Hart gave a little shrug.

And handed over his other weapons.

Dawn stared at him. Floored. She'd been so _sure_ that he _wouldn't_! A guy like that, just giving in this easily to all of Seo's demands, when he had absolutely no use for Seo and Dawn at all! What was he…?

"It's a trick, Seo," Dawn hissed at her, as the two gathered up and disarmed the weapons. "He's only giving in so he can use the two of us to get rid of the aliens. The moment that happens, he's gonna kill us."

Seo looked up at Hart. " _Are_ you planning to kill us after we're done with this attack, Mr. Hart?"

"Was planning to give you that scan we were talking about, earlier," Hart replied, a twinkle in his eyes. He gestured at Dawn. "Brunette there can join in, too. Not about to leave anyone out."

Dawn made a disgusted face. "Yeah, thanks. I'll pass." Put a hand on Seo's shoulder. "And so will she."

Seo grinned at the two of them. "Right!" she said, clapping. "So! Here's the plan. Those aliens know what this thing is, how to use it, and what it's for. They're expecting some human being to come out, any minute now, possessed by 'the Voice', and link with that device. Causing some sort of chain reaction, that could possibly wind up destroying the world."

"Or not," Dawn said. "Depending on how much we trust Hart." She crossed her arms. "So what are we going to do to stop them?"

Seo beamed. "Give the aliens what they're expecting, of course!"

Dawn's jaw dropped. And even Hart stepped in, holding up his hands.

"Not a good idea," Hart said. "Moment they get a hold of Jane, they'll destroy the world in a second. And I've got no desire to be erased from history."

Seo rocked on her toes. "Oh, we're not giving them Jane," she replied. "We're giving them _me_."

* * *

"Target acquired," Seo said, in a monotone, stepping out of the woodland and into the aliens' line of sight.

The aliens all turned their heads, to stare at Seo.

It was like Seo had thought. The aliens hadn't created the device, they were just scavenging for it. They didn't know what 'the Voice' was supposed to look like, or that it was supposed to glow blue. They only knew that it existed.

Seo drifted steadily towards the artifact. Taking it all in, in a second. Analyzing it in detail. Looked like something meant to bury itself into the earth — a rather large, black-hulled ellipsoid, with some blinking lights at the top.

Didn't really tell her much.

What Seo really wanted to do was look inside. She could see a panel by the shining lights. Maybe some way to use that to her advantage. Fiddle about with the wiring and make the panel open.

She stretched out a hand, tracing along the outside of the panel. The metal felt warm beneath her fingertips.

It beeped a green light. Then slid open.

Then the rest of the contraption slid open, the whole thing shuffling around and rearranging itself to create a complex, wired-up machine, whirring and spinning and glowing against the night sky. Its entire majesty revealed to Seo, all at once.

The green lights stayed on.

Waiting.

Seo froze. For a few seconds, could only stare.

She hadn't expected this machine to so much as pick her up, let alone grant her access to its inner workings! But it had. Had responded to her as if she were exactly what it had been waiting for. And the aliens around herself seemed to take this as validation that she really was 'the Voice'.

Seo knew she was the Key, but… she had assumed that extended only to unlocking dimensions. Not entire secret alien machines!

The aliens began chattering excitedly about how to load it up onto their ship. Sending about half their party away to fetch an anti-grav pad.

Then the leader turned to Seo.

"Access: Weaponry, Garfagandron Empire, in the reign of the Emperor Finoch 38," he demanded.

Seo's mind scrambled for something to say. They were all looking, expectantly, at her. So whatever 'the Voice' was, it must be some sort of… interface for this machine.

"Access… denied," Seo tried.

Yes, that could make sense, actually. If there was the Machine and the Voice Interface, then the Voice Interface must link with the Machine itself telepathically. Seo studied the machine a little more closely. Certainly not a bomb. It looked almost like…

A gigantic storage system for some vast quantity of information.

"What do you mean, access denied?" the alien leader snarled. He pointed a gun in Seo's face. "This is our machine!"

"Correction," Seo said. "It is not your machine. You did not build it. I only grant access to the creators who built me."

It was a guess.

But from the looks on all their faces, Seo was betting she'd guessed right.

"We wiped out the Vrilnoir, destroyed their home," the alien leader said. "Used their time technology to travel here. The database is ours by right of conquest."

Probably why the machine got dumped here in the first place.

To keep it out of their conqueror's hands.

"Processing," Seo said, pretending to be a computer. In the meantime, trying to think up some way she could twist this to her advantage. "Ownership transference may be achieved. Please wait as I adjust my internal wiring."

Seo turned, and proceeded towards the machine. It really was quite magnificently constructed. Storing the information in interstitial ripples of reality, and then accessing the bits of information by sending sub-atomic particles through a faster-than-light acceleration field. The aliens around her clearly had no idea how it was supposed to work, though.

Just stared at her, dumbly.

As Seo leaned down to reconfigure the machine. Make it do something else, instead. Something vastly clever that would send these aliens…

The scream behind her cut through her thoughts.

Seo spun around, just in time to see the aliens in question all shriek, as they were surrounded by a bright light, and vaporized, simultaneously.

Revealing one smug-looking man, standing behind, holding the remote activator for a vaporization beam.

"Thanks for the distraction, Miss Hearts," said John Hart, stepping aside and thrusting Jane forwards. "But I decided I'd had enough of the non-violent act. Figured… might as well take care of them my way." Without missing a beat, he drew out a gun he'd concealed up his sleeve, and pointed it at Seo. "Now. Step away from the database."

Seo did as she was told. Putting up her hands.

"There are others," Seo warned. "They're coming back. The moment they see…"

"Took care of them already," Hart said. Then, grabbing something up behind him, added, "Took care of the brunette, too."

Seo stared.

Dawn was lying on the ground, her eyes terrified, her whole body rigid and frozen.

"It's paralytic lip gloss, not psychedelic," John Hart pointed out. He grinned. "Imagine her surprise."

Seo felt the blood freeze in her veins.

Behind her, a blaze of blue energy ripped through the machine, spinning it into life, as Jane touched the display panel. And the machine responded to her, made her float a little, above the ground.

"Assimilation completed," Jane said. "I am the Voice Interface for the Vrilnoir Database. Welcome, user. What information would you like to access?"

"The Vrilnoir Database," Hart mused. His eyes still fixed on Seo. "One of the lost wonders of the galaxy. Fell through a time rift from the future. Is worth a small fortune, really."

"And contains the knowledge to build weapons that could destroy the world," Seo muttered.

Hart's grin widened.

"Fine," said Seo, a little bitterly. "So you have your database. And, I'm assuming, you won't cure Dawn unless I let you take it. So…" She stepped away from the machine. "Take it. Go ahead."

Hart laughed.

"I want Dawn back," Seo snapped. "Alive and uninjured. And I don't have time to nip back to my ship and get the inoculation before she dies. So just… take the database. Take Jane. Long as you cure Dawn, I'll let you—"

"You really don't get it, do you?" said Hart. He sighed. "Thing is, dimple-cheeks, if you'd been useless, I'd have shot you five minutes ago. And your lover, too."

"Lover?" asked Seo.

It took her a little while to realize… he was talking about Dawn.

Hart walked forwards, towards Seo. "But then I figured out there was something on this planet even more rare and valuable than the database. Something that's just a myth by the 51st century. Something I didn't think even really existed." His voice lowered, as he stopped, right in front of Seo, grabbing her by the wrist, gun pressed beneath her chin. "A Time Lady."

Seo said nothing.

"Access: Time Lords, summary," John Hart commanded Jane.

The blue glow rippled through the machine, and Jane nodded. "Time Lords," Jane reported. "A mythical race of time travelers known for their cunning and intellect. With technology and time sensitivity unheard of in the wider universe. Historians debate whether or not this race actually exists, although—"

"Enough," Hart cut in.

Jane stopped.

Hart smiled at Seo. Analyzing her with the ease of someone who's just picked up a rare breed of dog, and can't wait to show it off to the neighbors.

"Time Agency might be very interested in acquiring a Time Lady," said Hart. "No knowing just how much they'll pay to get their hands on you."

"So they can experiment on me," Seo muttered. "Pick my brain. Force me to help them with their time technology."

"Whatever floats their boat," said Hart. He shrugged. "I'm just in it for the money."

Seo sucked in a sharp breath.

She could guess what the Time Agency would do to her when they worked out they couldn't scan her internal physiology. And she was quite happy _not_ knowing what it was like to live through a vivisection, thank you very much.

She yanked her hand out of Hart's. "No."

"Then I leave your lover to die," said Hart, "shoot you, and bring you to the 51st century while you're regenerating and too sick to fight back."

Seo met Hart's eyes with her own. For a few long moments, saying nothing.

Then, "I'm not a Time Lady."

John Hart laughed, again. "Oh, don't think you'll weasel your way out like—"

"Jane," Seo cut in, glancing over her shoulder, at the figure hovering in the air beside the database. "Look up records on someone who appears Gallifreyan, but isn't. Small. Humanoid. Stronger than she should be. Reacts to rifts and multi-dimensional energies. Doesn't show up on scans. And is undetectable by film or camera."

Jane processed this.

"Match located," Jane told them. "Titles: the Weapon, the Ultimate Genocide Machine, the Destroyer of All. A biological construct, combining some of the universe's most dangerous genetics and powers, this girl has been carefully trained, in childhood, to destroy worlds and wipe out entire species. Hiding behind the guise of either a Gallifreyan or a human, she is one of the most unique, most dangerous creatures in the universe."

Hart stared.

"I don't need weapons, Mr. Hart," said Seo, in a low voice. "Because I _am_ a weapon. The most dangerous weapon of them all." Her eyes went that much darker. "Now fix Dawn."

Hart couldn't speak.

His jaw working, but no words coming out.

"Dawn is my lover," Seo warned. "My reason for living. And my only reason for keeping this planet alive." Her voice dropped into a growl. "Moment she dies… this planet gets destroyed. Right here and now."

"How?" Hart challenged. "Prove it."

That was easy.

As Seo began to ramble off about five ways, off the top of her head, that she could destroy this planet very simply and easily, keeping no one but herself alive. Watched as Hart began to get the impression… that she knew what she was talking about.

"I won't kill my lover," Seo said. "But if she's already dead…" she shrugged. "Then I really don't care."

Hart processed this.

Then nodded, a small smile twisting on his lips. Turned to Jane. "This Genocide Machine. What's her value on the open market?"

Jane paused.

"Market Value: incalculable," Jane reported.

"Just what I thought," said John Hart.

Seo tried to leap out at him and tackle him to the ground, but he was on her before she could act, mashing his lips against hers, giving her a long, passionate kiss.

Seo didn't fight back.

But melted into it, kissing him back, struggling to get more before she could even think what she was doing.

As she felt herself dropping down to the ground, pain spreading through her body, completely aware that both her and Dawn's lives were at the hands of a psychopath, she heard Hart tutting at her.

"You knew what would happen, and did it anyways," he muttered. Let her drop, turning away. "And I bet, if I did it again, you'd welcome it just as much as last time."


	6. Chapter 6

Seo, falling into a deep trance, only managed to fully work the paralytic from her body a few hours later.

Came to and discovered herself chained up with dwarf star alloy restraints, in the holding bay of a space ship. Dawn secured beside her, looking pretty normal and clearly unparalyzed.

Although she had been gagged.

"Finally come back to us?" said John Hart, leaning in the doorway. He crossed his arms. "Impressed, actually. Managed to fight off the toxin yourself. Without dying." He sighed. "And I so wanted to see if your next face was just as pretty as this one."

Dawn snapped something angry-sounding through the gag.

"She wouldn't stop yapping the whole time," Hart muttered, pointing his thumb at Dawn. "I wanted to put a bullet in her brain after the first hour… but turns out, the buyer wanted both of you. Asked for you by name. Along with a glass pillar, which I assume is your ship."

Uh oh.

Whoever this buyer was… they knew what they were doing.

"Who…?" asked Seo, quietly.

"Some outfit calling themselves STP," said Hart. "Fierce bunch, by reputation. Looks like they'd give anything to get their hands on you."

Seo hadn't heard of them.

But that didn't make her feel any better about this.

"Have you thought about what you could do with me," Seo proposed, in a very soft voice, "if you _didn't_ sell me? Kept me for yourself?"

Hart strolled forwards. "You offering something?"

"All your bidders want me to help them rule the universe," Seo said. "Destroy and conquer any planet in their path. Give them ultimate power." She shot him a small smile. "I could give that to you, instead."

Hart didn't seem all that interested in this. Knelt down in front of where she lay, tilting her face up to meet his. "And here I was, thinking you were about to offer me something else," he whispered.

Then bent in, again, and kissed her.

Dawn yelled through the gag, even angrier. She struggled in her chains, clearly trying to break free and tear Hart apart.

Hart pulled away.

There was nothing on his lips, this time. Seo could tell. Could taste it.

"And you still kissed back," Hart mused. "Even though you'd felt what it did to you, last time, and didn't know if I'd do the same to you, this time — you're still begging for it."

Seo didn't answer.

"Gallifreyan physiology," Hart said, "combined with good old-fashioned human hormones." He swept a hand across her chin. "And they're raging."

Seo looked away.

Blush rising to her cheeks.

"I like you, little Miss Hearts," John Hart said, getting up. "Got a spark in you a guy could get used to. Problem is…" He winked. "I like money, more. Specially the amount of money I'm gonna rake in from you."

He turned, and began to walk off.

"Wait!" Seo called after him.

Hart paused. "Eager for more?" he asked. His eyes darting over to the restrained and furious Dawn. "Go at it, full scale, in front of your jealous lover? You do have a kinky side to you."

"You said I reminded you of someone," Seo said, ignoring him. "Your… partner." It was her last hope. A desperate hope. But one she was almost certain was true. "What if… there's a reason for that?"

The smugness faltered on Hart's face for just a second.

"What if I know him, too?" Seo asked. "Not just know him, but try to emulate him — because I look up to him and think of him as a role model? What if…?"

Hart burst out laughing.

"Now I _know_ you haven't met him," Hart said. Turned in the doorway, continuing out into the rest of the ship. "After all. He's a conman. A scoundrel. And even more of a money-obsessed scumbag than I am."

Seo stared after him, as the door closed and locked, sealing herself and Dawn inside.

She'd been sure. She'd been _positive_!

But it looked like… Seo had guessed this one wrong.

Looked like 'John Hart' actually had no connection, whatsoever, to Jack Harkness.

* * *

The representative of STP wasn't exactly what Hart had been expecting.

Based on their reputation across the galaxy, Hart had expected a heavily armed militia, attired in battle armor, commanded by a muscular and dominating leader.

Not this scrawny man who looked like his wardrobe had been modeled after a 1950's geography teacher.

"Actually, not part of STP, myself," the man chatted, enthusiastically, shaking Hart's hand. "Just helping out a friend of mine. Figured I owed him that much. Particularly after the Gamestation, the Valiant, and the 456 incident."

Hart didn't care for the man.

Or for whatever 'STP' was. Or for whoever appeared to be running it.

"Still, suppose even that worked out for the best," the man continued to ramble. "Considering where it led. Bit proud of him, actually. STP: saving children across the galaxy! Brilliant!"

"You got the money?" Hart demanded.

The man paused. His voice lowering, with just a hint of threat. "Not until I get the girls. Both of them." He advanced forwards, power radiating from him. "And you'd better not have harmed them. The head of STP warned me about you."

Hart sighed. Then gestured into the space ship. "Take a look for yourself."

The man grinned. Clapped Hart on the back, as he strolled past, onboard the space ship. "Splendid idea! Think I will."

Hart led him to the door to the storage bay, where he was keeping the girls. Proposed to give them all 'some alone time.' Then shut and locked the door, pocketing the key.

Something about that man felt… off.

Funny.

Odd.

Hart raced into the secondary storage bay of his ship, where he was keeping the Vrilnoir Database. Jane still floating and waiting for his request.

"The man who just entered this ship," said Hart. "Scan him. Tell me who he is, who he works for, and whether he has any affiliation with STP."

Jane's eyes went unfocused for a moment.

Then, with a ripple of blue energy, Jane reported: "Identified. The Doctor. The last remaining Time Lord. Nicknames: the Ka Faraq Gatri, the Oncoming—"

But Hart didn't have to hear another word.

Had already turned on his heels and raced off.

* * *

"I _do not_ need a rescue!" Seo complained, the moment she'd seen who'd 'purchased' her and Dawn. "I had the situation completely under control! I was _fine_!"

The Doctor just buzzed her chains with the sonic screwdriver, releasing both her and Dawn.

Dawn, for one, threw her arms around his neck and kissed him on the cheek. "Ignore her. I think you totally rock."

Seo massaged her wrists, her eyes glaring daggers at her father. "And what is STP anyways? Some organization you founded to pull me out of trouble? Because I'm perfectly able to pull myself out of—"

"Not me, actually," the Doctor replied. "I'm just doing a favor for a friend. Ran into him the other day on Tedra Pol — best place to get lemonade in the 49th century, by the way — and he asked me to come to these space-time coordinates to pick you two up. He'd have done it himself, of course, but… well… best not to muddy the timelines anymore than we have to."

Seo buried her face in her knees. "It's not you in another incarnation, right?" she gritted through her teeth. "Because that'd be just like you."

There was a sudden shaking and the sounds of engines, as the space ship lifted off from the ground. The Doctor raced to the door, testing it out, but found it locked.

"Ah," said the Doctor. "Alias 'John Hart': a corrupt Time Agent with a lust for money. And other things. Which means right now, he'll be heading off to the 51st century to sell me to the Time Agency. I was warned about this." He shrugged, pulled out his sonic, and buzzed it at the door. Which flew open. "Well! Looks like it's time for us to find Seo's ship and get going."

"But… but… Jane!" said Dawn. She pointed in the direction of the other storage area. "The Database! Whatever Hart's doing with that information, it can't possibly be good! We have to…!"

The Doctor spun on Dawn. "Database? What Database?"

"The Vrilnoir's Database," Seo said. "It knows about everything. Fell through a time rift and wound up in the middle ages. Took over a friend of ours to use as its voice interface." She jumped to her feet, and raced out of the storage area. "But I've thought up a brilliant plan to put that all right!"

The Doctor turned to follow. "Plan," he said. "Love brilliant plans. Especially if—"

Seo stopped. Spun on him. "It's _my_ plan," she clarified. "And I don't need your help with it. I am perfectly able to save people and planets and the universe on my own without your help!"

The Doctor stuffed his hands into his pockets. "Never said you couldn't."

Seo gave a small smile. Then turned around and raced to the secondary storage area. Yanked at the door.

It was locked.

Seo tried again. Tried to force the door off its hinges. Tried to pick the lock or force the lock or override the mechanism.

But the lock didn't give.

Seo paused.

Then gave a long, frustrated sigh.

And turned back to the Doctor.

"Want me to open the door for you?" the Doctor asked, waggling his sonic in the air.

It took almost a minute before Seo could swallow enough of her pride to answer, "Yes."


	7. Chapter 7

The Doctor knew this was all wrong the moment he stepped into the room and spotted the machine. Or rather — not the machine, but the possessed person floating above the ground, just beside it, glowing with a bright blue light. A person… the Doctor recognized.

(But she shouldn't be here. She couldn't be here! It's impossible!)

The Doctor paused. Fidgeting with his sonic.

Seo, meantime, skidded to a stop just in front of the machine. "Jane, or Voice, or whatever you want us to call you," she said, a little out of breath. "You're hooked up to a database that contains knowledge on basically everything, right?"

"That is correct," said Jane.

"And fell through a time rift?" Seo added. "Which means you were constructed in the future? With knowledge of Earth and its history?"

"That is correct," said Jane.

Seo grinned at Dawn. "You said she was famous, right? An ancestor of Anne Boleyn?" She turned back to Jane. "In that case, I'd like you to find everything about Lady Jane Howard in 1504, and download it into the body housing 'the Voice'!"

Jane absorbed this.

"Seo," said the Doctor, very softly. "It's not going to work."

"Of course it will work!" Seo snapped. "My plans are brilliant!" She turned back to Jane. "You can do that, right? Find information on a person and download their personality into an empty body?"

"Yes," said Jane. The blue light flashed, as she reported, "Complying with request…"

Seo grinned, even wider, as the machine whirred and churned to do what it was told. But the happiness fell away, as the light faded, and Jane looked just the way she'd been, before.

"Error," said Jane. "The Lady Jane Howard does not exist in 1504 on Earth."

"No, she doesn't," the Doctor admitted. He stepped forwards, peering at Jane, carefully. "I was there on the night she died. When she was only five years old. Poor little Jane Howard. Her parents told her brothers and sisters she went off to school. Couldn't face the truth." He shook his head, sadly. "There was nothing even I could do for her."

Seo and Dawn turned and stared at the Doctor.

"What?" Dawn cried.

"She's dead?!" Seo said.

"Always has been," said the Doctor. He stared at the floating Jane with sad eyes. "I don't who that person used to be… before she was possessed by the Voice. But she wasn't Jane Howard. Never was." He shook his head. "Must have shown up in court pretending to be someone she wasn't. Inveigled her way into the family under false pretenses. An impersonator."

"So… who was this not-actually-Jane person, really?" said Dawn. "What was her name? Where was she from? I mean, we need to know, or we can't download her back into her original body."

"No one you need to worry about," came the voice of John Hart. He was armed with a laser pistol, pointed directly at the group. "She's mine and so are the rest of you." His eyes fell on the Doctor. "Nice trick, there, Doctor Whoever-You-Are. But the Database knew who you were. A Time Lord. The last Time Lord." He gave a mirthless grin. "Trying to pass yourself off as STP! STP never had any interest in these two, did they? Just you. And you're worth a bundle."

"You wouldn't say that if you knew STP," the Doctor said. Adjusting his bow tie. "Which... come to think of it... you do. According to their leader. Interesting, isn't it, how they can name their group 'STOP', and the villains still never work out what to do?"

Hart just kept aiming the gun at their group.

The Doctor turned to Jane. "And as for you, 'Jane'… how is it that the Vrilnoir Database still knows who I am? No one else's database does. Ever since the Dalek Asylum, everyone's databases — past, present, and future — have been writing me out of the records."

"You are the Doctor," said Jane, turning to him, her blue eyes blazing with light. "You save people."

The Doctor felt something hard in the pit of his stomach.

He'd watched Rory taken by Weeping Angels. Seen Amy disappear forever, in front of him. Watched himself lose all his friends and all his hope and everything he'd ever believed in.

"That's who I _was_ ," the Doctor muttered. Then, composing himself, added, "And who were you? Who'd you used to be, before you showed up at court claiming to be Jane Howard?"

"You are the Doctor," said Jane. "People love you. Remember that."

"I'm sorry?" said the Doctor.

"People love you," said Jane. "Jane loved you. Before she pretended to be Jane Howard. She wanted to tell you that. In case this didn't work. She wanted to say… goodbye."

The Doctor stared at her.

His mind pouring through possibilities, but none of them fit.

"Oh, my heart bleeds for you," Hart groaned. "Look. I don't really care if you're the actual Jane Howard or not. Only thing I care about is my profits. And those are about to go way up." He winked at Seo. "Sorry, sweet-cheeks. Nothing personal."

Seo blushed.

The Doctor just spun around. "Oh, quit waving that gun about!" he snapped. "You're not going to shoot us. We're worth more alive."

"You think I don't know the legends?" said Hart. "I kill you and you regenerate."

"Unless I'm on my last life," the Doctor countered. His voice dropping. "And can you really afford to take that risk?"

Hart faltered.

The Doctor turned to Seo and Dawn. Gestured at them, with a happy beam. "Right! Come along, then. You, too, Jane. He can chase us, lock us up, threaten us with guns and pointy sticks and all sorts of nastiness, but he won't kill us!" He spun around, raced towards the door. "So, really, there's nothing to worry about."

"One of you isn't worth a dime, though," said Hart. Gun shifting to Dawn. "The lover."

And squeezed the trigger.

Seo darted forwards to shove Dawn out of the way, but she was too far apart, and so was the Doctor, and neither of them would ever make it in time…

A blur of blue light flashed before them.

And Jane, having used the Database to flash-appear in front of Dawn at the last possible moment, slumped in place. Clutching her chest, her breath turning raspy, her flesh singed and burning where Hart's gunshot had impacted.

Then she collapsed to the floor.

Seo ran forwards, knelt down by Jane, who held Seo's hand. Looked up into Seo's eyes, and… using the last of her strength… whispered something into Seo's ear.

Then died.

The machine went still. The blue energy crackling out and dying away forever.

The Doctor turned on Hart. An iciness flooding through him. "That," the Doctor hissed, "wasn't necessary."

Hart seemed as taken aback as everyone else. Although, very clearly, he was more upset about his inability to sell the now-broken database than the loss of life.

"Worthless," Hart muttered, irritated.

The Doctor advanced on Hart, eyes bitter and angry. "Worthless?!" He ducked a blow, then twisted around and grabbed the gun out of Hart's hands before the man could register what was happening, and tossed it over his shoulder. "A human life?! _Worthless?!_ "

Hart tried to grab at the Doctor, but the Doctor ducked and launched himself forwards, catching Hart off-balance and aiming his sonic at the Vortex Manipulator around Hart's wrist.

Hart toppled, his wrist-strap humming…

As he was swallowed up by the time vortex.

The Doctor slumped in place. He didn't know who the Jane-imposter had been. Or why she'd given him that message. But here was yet another brilliant person he couldn't save. Like that poor Oswin, in the Dalek Asylum, who'd died before he'd ever had a chance to save her.

Whomever Jane was, whatever she'd be to him, in his own future, he'd just lost her.

Same way he'd lost Amy and Rory.

Same way he lost everyone.

The Doctor turned back to the two girls. Ignoring Dawn's questions about where Hart went and what the Doctor had done to him. Not even Hart's removal was permanent. Hart would fix the damage the Doctor had done to his vortex manipulator, eventually — history dictated that, and the Doctor couldn't change it.

Some days, it made the Doctor want to just give up. Pack it all in.

And spend the rest of his lives in Victorian London, with friends. Not saving the universe or the world, just… existing.

The Doctor turned back to the Database, wearily. Better break that. Get these two back to their ship — back to 21st century Earth, Torchwood, and their homes and families.

Then… back to his TARDIS.

To decide what to do and where to go next.

Or if he'd finally had enough. And it was finally time to stop.


	8. Chapter 8

"I don't get it," said Dawn, as she and Seo were inside of Oliver, heading back towards Cardiff. "I mean, I get that whoever became possessed by the Voice wasn't actually Jane Howard, but… who was she? How'd she know the Doctor? And what did she whisper to you at the end?"

Seo said nothing for a moment.

Then, in a low voice, Seo said, "Jane told me… where she found the Voice, buried in medieval England. To make sure that I'd know where to look, when my future caught up with me."

Dawn didn't get it.

"What future?" Dawn asked. "What are you—?"

Then she stopped. As it all came clear.

And gaped.

"Jane," Dawn realized. "Jane was…!"

"Me," Seo agreed. "Yes. I know."

Dawn's eyes went wide.

For a moment, neither could say anything.

"Except she wasn't," Seo put in, firmly. "Certainly wasn't. She didn't have a pulse, even though she was clearly breathing."

"Yeah, of course she didn't have a pulse, because the Voice killed—!"

"Before that," said Seo. "Something Hart said to me, while we were traveling… he must have noticed it, too. Even before we showed up, Dawn — Jane didn't have a pulse. She was alive. Warm. Breathing. But her hearts — or maybe heart — wasn't beating."

Dawn blinked.

"Huh?!" she cried.

"I don't understand it anymore than you do," said Seo. "I just know, at some point… I'm going to make all this have happened."

"But… but… how do you know it's you?" Dawn demanded. "If Jane didn't have a pulse! Why can't it be…?"

"When I touched the Database, it responded to my telepathic-signature as if I _were_ the Voice," Seo said. "And then there was Jane's last message to my father. Her rushing in to save you when I couldn't. And… just… the way Jane looked at Hart, sometimes…"

Dawn stared. Jaw dropping.

"It's not important," Seo dismissed. She turned back to the controls of her ship. "Suppose I'll work it out, eventually." She bit her lower lip, her eyes filling with worry and a hint of terror. "When my future catches up to me. Destiny and all that."

Oliver landed in Cardiff with a thud.

At which instant, Seo rapidly and pointedly change the subject.

"At least I don't have to see my father again for a little while!" Seo said. "I hope he was all right. He did seem a little sad at the end — do you he's sad? Maybe I should drop by and visit him — but then he'd just take that as a sign that I want him to follow me around saving me from everything! And that's just rubbish! I mean, I don't—"

"Shut up!" Dawn screamed.

Her head was spinning.

Her heart pounding and hands shaking and she could barely control the hysteria overcoming her.

"I'm sorry?" said Seo.

"I just watched you _die_!" Dawn said, her voice trembling. "The Doctor just watched you die! Possessed by aliens and gunned down and there was nothing any of us could do! And all you can say is that you're pissed off because the Doctor tried to _rescue you_?!"

"Well… I… don't like him following me around," Seo insisted. "I'm a hundred years old. He doesn't have to treat me like I'm some baby who can't—"

Dawn screamed a wordless scream.

And Seo fell silent.

"I don't know what's going on in your future," Dawn gritted through her teeth, when she could speak, again. "But I know the Doctor was feeling down in the dumps when he first showed up — before you started complaining at him and being Miss Ungrateful. I know that you have a massive messiah-guilt-complex thing going on, and that you care about him — despite everything you've said." She sucked in a sharp breath. "And I know that if you found out that your telling him he wasn't cool triggered some massive meltdown or something for him, you'd gladly walk into your own death to try to help him out."

Seo said nothing for a long moment.

"I just want him to let me live my life and fight my monsters by myself," Seo said, in a small voice. "I've got brilliant plans, and he has to understand that, even if—"

"Oh, stop teenage angsting for two seconds!" Dawn shouted. "Seo, your plan did not work. _At all!_ You fell for a psychopath and made us team up with him just so you could get your flirt on. You didn't even protest when he kissed you, despite the fact that you _knew_ he was wearing evil lip gloss stuff! If the Doctor hadn't rescued us, Seo, we'd both be dead and sold off by now." Her hands bunched into fists. "So don't let that be you, in the future, killing yourself to tell the Doctor you're grateful and you love him. Tell him _now_. Break the cycle!"

Seo stared at Dawn.

Like Dawn had just said something that made absolutely no sense.

"Are you saying that telling him he isn't cool is hurting his feelings?" Seo asked.

Dawn spun around. And left Oliver.

She couldn't deal with this.

Not now.

Seo raced after her, trying to speak to her, as Dawn stubbornly ignored her and just kept marching off to stand on the invisible elevator and go down to Torchwood. Maybe Jack could talk some sense into her. Maybe Jack could make Seo figure out that the Doctor wasn't chasing her around the universe because he was babying her, but because he really didn't want anything bad to happen to…

(And no, no, this is nothing like when Dawn complained about Buffy chasing her around Sunnydale! Dawn hit herself on the head, to stop her brain from even going there. Totally different!)

"I don't to hurt anyone's feelings," Seo was saying, as the elevator descended into Torchwood. "But he isn't cool, and it's not right to have to wander around the universe with your parents always nagging you all the time! I mean, how am I ever going to learn to save the universe myself, if he keeps saving it for me? How will I learn to overcome the monsters and think my way out of bad situations, if he never lets me get into those situations in the first place? How will I…?"

Seo stopped in mid-sentence.

Stared, shocked.

Then pointed.

"Wait, why is Owen dead?" Seo asked. Shook her head. "No, sorry, better question. If he's dead... why's he still walking around?!"

Dawn buried her face in her hands.

"That makes two of you," she muttered.

* * *

Gwen and Dawn were having coffee together, as Seo raced around, trying to work out what was going on with Owen, what she'd missed, and if there was any way to fix it.

"You know," Gwen mused, looking out at Seo and the rest of the Torchwood team, "with Seo around, I guess there really _is_ a blond at Torchwood."

Dawn shot her a quizzical look.

"It's nothing," Gwen said. Gave a little laugh. "Just something Jack's former lover said. When he came to visit."

"About how Torchwood should have a blond person?" Dawn asked.

"Almost like he expected to find a blond, here," Gwen agreed. Sighed. "Don't know what Jack saw in the bastard. But I guess that's what happens to blokes by the 51st century. They turn neurotic."

"Oh, don't get me started on 51st century guys," Dawn said, rolling her eyes. "Seo fell head over heels for one of those. Some jerk who thought getting money was more important than saving lives."

"Lied and manipulated and used you to get what he wanted, then tried to shoot you all and take the loot?" Gwen asked.

"Big time," said Dawn. "And was such a huge flirt! Nearly stuck his hand down Seo's dress several times — in public! And made these comments like—"

"'With eyes like yours, you could call me Vera and I wouldn't complain'?" Gwen put in.

"Exactly!" said Dawn. "And then there was the paralytic lip gloss. And the whole him kissing-you-to-kill-you thing. Which was just so much worse because he was actually pretty hot, and kind of—"

"Attractive, if you were into that sort of thing," Gwen agreed. "Blond hair, tall, skinny, sort of easy manner about him, liked to walk around like he owned the place—"

"Oh, yeah, and the name," Dawn scoffed. "'John Hart'."

"'Captain John Hart'!" Gwen confirmed.

"I mean," Dawn continued, "could you possibly make up… a… worse… alias… if you…?"

Dawn stopped.

Trailed off.

As she and Gwen stared at one another. Both realizing, with sudden horror, exactly what had happened. Who Jack's former lover was. And who had just very nearly seduced Seo.

They both glanced over at Jack and Seo.

And shuddered.

"We never tell them," Gwen promised. "Either of them."

"Never," Dawn agreed.


End file.
